Importers and Producers

Importer Spotlight: B. United International

October 15, 2015 |
Brian Freedman

The Artisan’s Cellar may have started with a heavy focus on wine, but that doesn’t mean we stopped there. Why, we thought, shouldn’t we bring the best of the world of sake and spirits (and more!) to the market, as well? To that end, we have recently partnered with the team at B. United International to distribute their astounding products to our customers—bottlings that, we’re more than willing to bet, will change the way we all look at the incredibly diverse categories that B. United brings in.

The process of deciding to distribute an importer’s best offerings is never taken lightly—we have always worked hard to ensure that every single item in the Artisan’s portfolio is worthy of the attention of sommeliers, beverage directors, buyers, and ultimately the customers who will choose and drink them. To that end, our team is constantly tasting as we’re always on the lookout for the next collection of great bottlings to include in our own highly curated stable of offerings.

So when the Artisan’s team gathered around the conference table at our West Chester office, and began tasting through the spectacular and thoroughly unexpected sakes, meads, liqueurs, and more from B. United, we knew immediately that our own portfolio would be growing as a result of their inclusion. Not only were the categories represented by what we tasted totally new to our portfolio, but the specific examples themselves were exactly the kind that the Artisan’s name has been built on: Honest, unique, and utterly delicious.

Their sake, for example, runs the gamut of possible expressions of this still-misunderstood rice wine from Japan. The Kurahibiki Daiginjo, with its clean, powerful, melon-zipped palate, seems to come from a different planet entirely than the cedar-aged Tarusake, which just begs to be paired with richer foods like pork, beef, and salmon. They also offer yuzu wine and umeshu plum wine, among others, all of which throw asunder any preconceived notions of what Japanese drinking culture has to offer.

Heading across the planet from there, we were blown away by B. United’s remarkable selection of South African mead and German spirits… and, frankly, so much else from their portfolio. It’s certainly not the usual suspects, and in that sense of surprise and discovery, there is a deep feeling of excitement. In a world growing ever more connected, we firmly believe that the time is right to more fully explore the entire planet of drinking. Which is exactly what B. United helps all of us do. They’re an exciting addition to our portfolio and we’re very proud to be working with them.